Barter for a better deal and check out cox's freezone

On the Cheap

There's nothing like a bit of old-fashioned bartering to save a few dollars. Over recent months readers have supplied On the Cheap readers with various ways to cut expenses, including by the most straightforward method ---- just asking.

(Here's a reminder that savings touted in this column come from you, the readers. So, be generous and send in what works for you when it comes to how you trim spending or recycle in the home - whether it's using the water from the dog's bowl to keep your plants lively or sharing resources with a neighbor.)

BARTERINGSometimes our tipsters have been successful in lowering prices even when dealing with mega-stores and giant utilities.

Now, a reader from Newport News, who prefers anonymity, says he found a way to cut his monthly Internet bill. "Being a loyal customer of my local Internet company for years, I finally called them up and requested to get the same prices the new customers get," he writes. In that simple maneuver he lopped $50 off his monthly bill. No small beans.

In these lean times, many companies are willing to cut a deal rather than to lose a customer completely. So, be alert, and if you see a deal being offered to attract new business, see if you can't get equal treatment. Or, if your budget is stretched thin, be proactive and see if you can't renegotiate terms on big-ticket items too.

FREE VIDEOS

The same reader also recommends Cox FreeZone for no-cost videos. Cox Communications first launched the service as part of Entertainment on Demand (EOD) in San Diego in 2002. Three years later it expanded the concept to several of its markets, including Hampton Roads. FreeZone is listed along with other categories of EOD programming that include pay-per-view movies and programs.

Cox cable customers can access FreeZone through the EOD welcome screen. Selecting it takes users to another screen that lists "commercial long-form content that may be viewed," aka advertisements that "can convey messages of any length."

What Cox discovered in its rollout in San Diego was that half of its digital cable subscribers accessed FreeZone during its pilot period and each unique viewer spent more than 25 minutes a week viewing the ads. That, in turn, allows Cox to offer a library of thousands of free shows, including TV episodes, children's and sports programming, concerts and music videos, with new shows added weekly.

Just be sure to distinguish between the free on-demand programs and the paid when making your selection.

NEWS TO USE

How cheap - or thrifty - can you be? On the Cheap welcomes readers' tips on how to stretch a dollar or save a nickel. Send to psalasky@dailypress.com or mail to Prue Salasky, Daily Press, 7505 Warwick Blvd., Newport News, VA 23607.

To find other tips, go to www.twitter.com and follow onthecheap, or join in the conversation at www.dailypress2.com/forums and click on On the Cheap. For previous columns, go to www.dailypress.com/onthecheap.